In modern motor vehicles, in order to improve the warm-up behaviour of the engine, the air flow to the heat exchanger is controlled by means of adjustable elements. The adjustable elements, the closure elements, are in most cases a number of pivotably supported plates, wherein the pivot axes thereof are orientated parallel with each other and they are on the whole rotatably arranged in a frame. The frame together with the plate arrangement is arranged downstream of the design component of the radiator grille and thus arranged upstream of the heat exchanger of the engine. Such an arrangement may also be arranged in a flow channel, via which cooling air is supplied from an opening arranged in the bodywork to the heat exchanger, the radiator of the engine. By closing the cold air supply during the warm-up or by controlling the quantity of cooling air in accordance with the engine temperature, the optimum operating temperature is reached more rapidly or can be kept within a narrow temperature range. Examples of the devices described are set out in EP 2 233 341 A1, EP 2 233 342 A1.
The closure elements set out are constructed as elongate planar elements in substantially planar form and can be pivoted about an axis which usually extends centrally through the planar element. A plate having a streamlined cross-section is set out in EP 2 335 963 A1.
Known closure elements in most cases comprise plastics material and are introduced into the frame which receives them by means of deformation, bending. As a result of bending of the plate member, the pins of the plates which constitute the rotatable support are introduced into corresponding receiving members of a frame.
With a locked geometry in conventional manner, the force transmission is not completely possible in the active direction of the drive. There is thereby produced a flexibility of the connection, which can lead to malfunctions. The locking in conventional systems is additionally often partially constructed in the active direction of the drive. The locking must thereby be constructed to be more stable than necessary in order to ensure the function.